Xian

Xi'an Travel Blog

From Shanghai we caught a lunch time flight to the original capital of China, Xian, home of the Terracotta Warriors. A highlight of any trip to China is the Terracotta Warrior Museum . The Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974 by a local farmer drilling a water well to the east of Mount Lishan . In all, over 8000 life size soldiers and horses were constructed by the first Emperor Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC. Their purpose was to help rule another empire with Shi Huangdi in the afterlife. The museum consists of three pits. The first and largest contains the largest collection while two smaller pits are a work in progress as the excavation continues. On our visit the original farmer was present in the gift shop signing books on the history of the Warriors.

Xian is both a modern and ancient city. The main city centre is contained within its old city walls which are intact. It is possible to cycle the entire wall in about three hours. The wall provides an extensive view of the city below and is in marked contrast to the high rise, glass fronted buildings that make up the modern Xian.

Despite its size of 6.5 million people, Xian is relatively easy to get around and the central town square with its bell tower an ancient mosque is worth wandering around. The mosque dates back to the period when Xian was at the end of the Silk Road and today hosts over 60,000 people of Muslim descent. Our night in Xian finished with a dinner and performance from the Tang Dynasty period. The performance showcased the song and customs from the Tang Dynasty period, the only Dynasty in China ’s history to be ruled by a woman Emperor.